Dreaming
by rizlow
Summary: Dean Winchester has always been a bit of a thorn in Kelsey's side - a very attractive thorn, but still... A visit at her uncle Bobby's reunites her with the boys, and she begins having vivid dreams - about Dean. Is it just her subconscious trying to tell her something? Or is there more to it than that?
1. Chapter 1

So sleepy.

The sun is so warm on her skin, the breeze gently wafting around her.

His arms surrounding her, a safe haven.

She turns her head, her eyes opening slowly, almost fighting to remain closed. His face is a blur at first, coming into focus as her eyes finally obey her thoughts and open. His eyes are still closed, his long lashes against his skin, his lips slightly parted as he breathes softly.

She feels a surge in her pulse as she looks at him, so beautiful, so perfect, so peaceful. She is almost breathless as her eyes scan over the planes of his face, freckles still visible beneath the golden tan; the jaw line, unshaven, the cleft in his chin almost hidden by the soft growth. The small bump in his nose, almost unnoticeable, a flaw making the perfection seem even more unreal.

He begins to move, his eyebrows draw together in a small frown as he struggles, like her, to wake. The moss green eyes open, the full lips curve slightly as he sees her, and she feels everything inside her go molten and electric as he reaches a hand to her face and moves in closer to touch his lips to hers.

The kiss is soft, sensuous, the whole world is in it. There is nothing else in the here and now but that. His mouth slants across hers, their lips parting and their tongues gliding against each other, tangling sweetly, and her whole being is centered in this moment, in the feel of his lips and the taste of him, the soft sound of the whispered moan that escapes as he kisses her.

His hand moves, down her back, across her hip, fingers slipping beneath the soft fabric of her shirt, and there is warmth against her skin as his touch brushes over her ribs and he cups her breast. This time the moan is from her, deep in her throat, as he gently kneads the firm flesh, and she presses closer to him as their kiss becomes more frantic, and her arms tighten around his neck...

"Kel! You comin', or what?" Kelsey shot upright in her bed, her eyes wide, her mouth open as she stared at Dean, who stood leaning nonchalantly in her doorway. "I tried to wake you up, but I practically had to come in and throw cold water on you." His brows drew together in a frown, his green eyes actually a little concerned as she stared blankly back at him. "Are you okay? You aren't getting sick, are you?"

Kelsey blinked hard a couple of times, shaking her head a little, trying to clear her mind of the incredibly vivid dream she had been rudely awakened from. "No," she said softly, raising a hand to run through her shoulder length golden brown locks. When she looked back up, Dean's eyes were roaming appreciatively over her breasts, which were making themselves evident under the thin silk camisole she had worn to bed. She jerked the blanket up, holding it in place and glaring at him.

"Do you, uh, wear that to bed every night, Kel? 'Cuz I gotta tell you, it's hot." His eyebrows raised and lowered a couple of times as a one-sided smirk curved his lips.

"Get. Out." Kelsey pointed towards the door, and he had the audacity to look surprised.

"Sure you don't need any help with...anything?"

"OUT!" A low chuckle trailed behind him as he left the room, and she sailed a pillow towards his back.

"Missed!" he called back over his shoulder, and Kelsey huffed out a frustrated breath. How could she be dreaming of that...that...that immature, juvenile, dirty-minded jerk?

She threw back the covers and swung her long, tanned legs over the side of the bed, stretching as she stood and headed to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror, and a pair of dark lashed hazel eyes stared back. A faint spattering of freckles across her nose annoyed her to no end, as always, and her lips pressed together in disapproval. She sighed and opened a small drawer, pulling out a washcloth for her face as she let the water run to get warm.

She was almost dressed, in her faded jeans, well-worn Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt and grey Pumas, when Bobby called up the stairs. "Kelsey Grace, are you comin' or not?"

"I'm on my way down, you old grouch," she countered, then smiled to herself as she finished tying her shoe and grabbed her denim jacket from the chair on her way out the door.

Dean glanced up as Kelsey's footsteps echoed down the old staircase. She was slipping her arms into her jacket as she walked, leaning in to kiss Bobby's cheek, an amused smile on her face, as she walked by him. Bobby couldn't quite stifle the wry grin on his face as he shook his head. Kelsey was twisting her hair into a knot, sticking a clip into it to hold it in place. Dean itched to pull it out, watch that tawny-colored, on-the-edge-of-auburn mass tumble down around her shoulders again. He felt Bobby's disapproving glare and reluctantly pulled his eyes from the sight of her bending to look for a bottle of water in the fridge.

He remembered the first time he'd seen her. All arms and legs, and those big amber eyes that, at the time, looked so large in her face. She was about ten, same age as Sammy, and he was fourteen. She was Bobby's niece, his sister's daughter, and she had come to visit. Or, more likely, she was farmed out to him for some other reason, which Dean never knew. Bobby's place wasn't really the type of place people dropped off little girls just to visit. Now, he and Sam were different. Boys, for one thing. And they were used to being left here and there. Bobby's, for them, was almost like home. Only thing was, the stay just never lasted long enough.

Kelsey and Sam had become friends right off the bat, she called him Shaggy and he called her Freckles, which she hated, but she didn't seem to mind too much from him. Dean only tried it once, and was informed that, since he had more of them than she did, he wasn't allowed. She and Sam had the run of the place, climbing around piles of junk that they should have stayed away from, building forts out of car parts, having a ball together, while Dean, already made to act like an adult by then, helped Bobby work on cars or guns, or do research. God, he had hated research. He still hated research.

They had met up with each other several more times over the years, always at Bobby's, and she and Sam had remained close friends. She and Dean, however, had a kind of rocky relationship, sniping at or outright fighting with each other most of the time, but still settling into a teasing, sarcastic friendship. Dean smiled a little as he remembered them actually making out once, in Bobby's shop. John had almost caught them, and he would have... His smile faded slowly, the loss of his father too new to be able to remember without a rush of pain so intense it almost stole his breath.

At least Sammy was okay. That's all that mattered now. After they got into that huge fight, his little brother had taken off on his own, and a hunt gone wrong had landed him in the hospital for a few days, a two-day drive away near Baltimore. But Sam had refused to let him drive out to pick him up when he was released, so now they were driving in to pick him up at the airport. And he wouldn't feel better until he laid eyes on him in person, made sure he was really okay.

He grabbed his jacket, putting it on as he headed for the door, his hand shoved into his pocket to retrieve the keys to the Impala. Bobby was right behind him, turning to Kelsey as they stepped outside. "Kelse, you want shotgun?"

"No, back seat's fine, Bobby," she answered, glancing at Dean as she felt his eyes on her. She pushed past him, opening the back door and slipping inside, pulling her phone from her pocket and staring intently at the screen. Dean and Bobby crawled in the front, and Baby rumbled to life as Dean backed her up and aimed her towards Sioux Falls Regional Airport.

They waited, mostly silent, for almost half an hour before Dean spotted Sam's head above most of the others coming towards them down the crowded hallway. "Sammy!" he called out, and Sam's eyes searched him out before he raised a hand to answer his big brother's wave. As he drew closer, the crowd thinned out, and Kelsey heard Dean's quiet curse. "Son of a bitch," he muttered, walking towards Sam, his face tight with concern. "Dammit, Sammy! Why didn't you tell me you had a broken leg? What else is going on that you didn't tell me?"

"I'm fine, Dean. It's not a big deal."

"It's a big deal to me. You should have told me."

Sam rolled his eyes, and then his gaze came to rest on Kelsey, who stood a few feet behind Dean. "Kelsey?"

A wide smile brightened her face and put a sparkle in her eyes. "Hey, Shaggy."

Sam dropped his duffle at Dean's feet, using his crutches to move to where Kelsey stood. He propped one crutch under his arm and grabbed her into a hug. "I didn't know you were back."

"Proverbial bad penny, what can I say?" She backed away a step and looked up into Sam's hazel eyes. "So - got a little banged up, huh? Girl scout?"

Sam grinned, flashing those dimples that Kelsey also loved to tease him about. "Still a smartass, too."

It was Dean's turn to roll his eyes as they headed for the Impala, the two old friends chattering nonstop. He threw Sam's duffle into the trunk and climbed behind the wheel, while Sam maneuvered his plaster cast into the passenger side, and Bobby got into the back seat with Kelsey.

After lunch, Sam and Kelsey continued their 'gabfest,' as Dean thought to himself, and he took himself out to the shop, finding whatever he could to keep himself busy. Later in the day, he came in to grab a beer, and heard them laughing in the next room. He walked closer, leaning in the doorway for a bit, listening to their easy give-and-take mixed with frequent laughter. He absently chewed on his lip as he stood there, finally turning to leave, tipping his beer as he went. Kelsey glanced up as he left, then looked up at Sam from her seat on the floor, where she was sitting to sign Sam's cast. Sam shrugged, and she smiled, putting the cap on the marker she'd been using and standing. "I'll be right back," she said, and followed Dean's path out to the shop.

She could hear Metallica playing in the background as she walked in. Dean was at the workbench, shop rag in hand, cleaning tools. She stood quietly for a moment, then walked closer, and he turned his head to glance at her before returning to his task.

"Why don't you come in and have a beer with us, Dean? We've just been catching up with each other, I didn't mean to take over, but we haven't seen each other for a couple of years."

"Didn't want to butt in," he said, working on removing grease from a wrench.

Kelsey stood there for a moment, then walked up beside him and turned her back to the workbench, leaning back against it and looking up at Dean. "I'm sorry. He's your brother, and I know you guys have some things to talk about. I didn't mean to..."

"No problem," he cut her off, his voice curt.

"Dean." Kelsey spoke his name softly and looked up at him until he finally met her eyes and responded.

"Look, Sam would rather talk to you any day. Why do you think he ended up all busted up in the first place? He doesn't want to be around me. He doesn't want to be here, Kel. He's never wanted to be here." He turned and walked away, but Kelsey hurried behind him, grabbing his arm to stop him.

"That's just crazy, Dean. Sam loves you and Bobby. I don't know what happened between you two, but you need to talk to him about it. He's the only family you've got."

"You think I don't know that?" Dean's voice was raised a little as the words came out, but he lowered his head immediately, running his fingers roughly through his hair. "Sorry."

"Dean...it's okay. Just please, go talk to Sam." He looked up, and the expression on his face made her want to comfort him somehow. And, for a split second, she held her breath, thinking he was going to kiss her. But the moment passed, and he stepped away from her, grabbing his beer and heading for the house.

"Okay. I'll go talk to him. But don't be surprised if we end up in another fight."

Kelsey followed him into the house, helping herself to a beer, but staying in the kitchen as Dean walked into the next room. "So, Sammy, what got you?" Dean asked as he dropped to the other side of the couch and propped his feet up on the beat-up old coffee table. "You never did say."

She heard the sound of Sam opening the beer Dean had taken to him, a moment for a swallow, and, "Vamp. Stupid vamp. I got him, though."

"So, just your leg?"

"Some banged-up ribs, and had a concussion. I'm doing okay, though."

She shook her head as they talked around everything but what they should have been talking about, and she began preparing some pasta and garlic bread for supper. By the time the food was ready, the tension had eased between the brothers to the point where they could all eat and talk together.

By ten that night, Kelsey could hardly keep her eyes open, and headed up to bed. She sank into her pillows with a sigh, and was just starting to doze off when she heard Dean's footsteps pass by on the way to his room.

Dean stirred restlessly in his bed, then his eyes opened and he was on full alert as he sat up, reaching to the bedside table for his Colt. He had heard something, and he sat there, completely still and silent, listening. He heard another sound, and this time he was sure. It was coming from Kelsey's room.

He pulled on a pair of sweats over his boxers and headed barefoot down the hall. He heard it again, this time a little louder, a low moan. He opened her door, stepping into the room and looking around with eyes accustomed to seeing in the dark. Nothing there that he could see, but she moved under her covers, her head rolling to the side as her breathing became more harsh, and another soft sigh escaped her lips.

He laid his gun on the table, sitting at the edge of the mattress. He reached to touch her shoulder carefully, not wanting to startle her, and whispered her name. "Kelsey." His only answer was another moan, and it didn't sound like she was in pain. He shook her gently, saying her name a little louder this time. "Kel. Wake up, you're dreaming."

He drew his hand back as if he'd been burned when she reacted just as she had that morning, sitting up quickly, her eyes wide, her mouth open, completely disoriented. Then her eyes fell on him, and before he could react, her hands were in his hair and her lips on his, frantic and heated. He found himself unable to resist at first, the intensity of it sweeping him along, and he kissed her back, almost losing himself in the moment. Then he put his hands on her shoulders, pushing himself away and holding her in place, as he fought to slow his breathing and stop the almost overwhelming desire to give in and just go with it.

"Kelsey. You're dreaming." She looked up at him, her eyes unfocused for a moment, then clearing a little as she took a deep breath. "Are you okay?" He could feel her begin to tremble beneath his hands, and real concern pushed all other thoughts from his mind.

"Dean? What's going on?"

"You were dreaming. I came in because I thought I heard something, but it was you. You were really out of it." His brows drew together in a troubled frown as he looked at her. "Just like this morning. Are you taking sleeping pills?"

Kelsey dropped back to her pillow, her eyes closed for a moment before she looked up at him, shaking her head. "No. I've never taken anything like that. Just a couple of beers tonight before I went to bed, just like you." She seemed to be all right, had calmed down, and Dean relaxed a little. A crooked little smile curved his lips, and Kelsey frowned. "What?"

"You kissed me."

"I did not!"

"The hell you didn't! I came in to wake you up, and you kissed me. And you were into it, too."

She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it and looked away, feeling herself blush. "I - I didn't mean to. I was delirious or something." She couldn't look at him, at the smirk on his face and the warmth in his eyes, she just couldn't.

"You were dreaming about me."

"Was not."

"Yes, you were. Admit it." He ran a finger along her arm, and she jerked it back, hiding it under the covers.

"I'm fine now. You can leave." She turned to her side, her back to him.

He sat there, silent for a moment, and when he spoke, the teasing note was gone from his voice. "Sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

He stood, looking down at her for a moment, then turned to leave the room. He looked back at her form, nearly hidden in the blankets, and smiled. "Sweet dreams," he said as he pulled the door closed, and she pulled the covers over her head.


	2. Chapter 2

So warm. Comfortable.

The bed dips a little as someone sits on the edge. A hand touches his face, and he snuggles into the gentle touch, contented.

A finger traces his lips, a barely-there touch that makes him catch his breath. He kisses it, touches his tongue to it, moans softly as he sucks gently on the fingertip.

The finger is gone, replaced by soft, full lips, a seeking tongue, and he feels her hair brush against his face as it falls like a silky curtain around them. He longs to touch her, but he wants to let her be in control, at least for now.

He feels her hand slip beneath the covers, caressing the smooth muscles of his shoulders, and arms, and chest, and then lower. His blood heats up as she slides her hand along his length, already throbbing, and he pulls back from their kiss, his head rolling back against the pillow as she grips and strokes him. He is unable to contain the sound that comes from deep in his throat, and he forces his eyes open to look at her.

Her lips are parted, her hazel eyes almost golden with heat, and he bucks up against her touch, unable to hold himself in check. His limbs are languid and heavy, and he feels almost content to let her do whatever she wants... But the urge to touch her is strong, so he reaches a hand towards her as she strokes him again, and he sucks in a sharp breath. His hand slips beneath the whisper-thin fabric of her camisole, her skin is soft, and smooth, and warm...

Dean's eyes flew open as the loud guitar riff signaled an incoming call on his cell. He blew out a breath, almost shaking at his sudden entrance into full consciousness, reaching for the phone, his heart pounding. "Yeah," he said gruffly, his voice still gravelly from sleep.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I must have the wrong number," a tinny, faint female voice said, and hung up.

"Yeah, no problem, just ruined a great dream," he grumbled, his head falling back onto the pillow as he put the phone back on the bedside table. "Damn it." Five o'clock in the morning, but that dream had him wired, and he climbed out of bed, heading for the shower.

He stood beneath the spray, unable to get the sight of her, the smell and taste of her, out of his mind. Bracing himself with one hand against the shower wall, he let his mind relive his dream, imagining her touch as he stroked himself, picturing her hand on him, her face above him, the desire in her eyes, until he found release.

He had been downstairs for a while, on his third cup of coffee, when Kelsey came down, giving him a sleepy smile as she walked by. He watched as she headed for the coffee, her pajama pants hanging low on her hips, her tank top clinging in all the right places, and pulled his eyes from her reluctantly before he ended up with another problem. Damn, the way she moved...so fluid, graceful...

She sat down at the table across from him, and he shot her a crooked smile. "Hey, Kel." She smiled in response as she lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip, then leaned back in her chair, running her fingers back through her hair and crossing her long legs, her feet bare, her toes painted a dark, almost brick-red. Dean internally yelled at himself to stop it, and took a deep breath. When he looked back up at her, he noticed the slight darkness beneath her eyes, and frowned a little. "You okay? You look tired."

"Just what a girl likes to hear. Does it show that much?"

"I didn't mean..."

Kelsey smiled. "I know, I'm just giving you a hard time. I am tired. I don't know why."

A devilish grin lit up Dean's face. "Maybe you should stop dreaming about me." He could see the color come up in her cheeks, and almost wished he could take the words back.

"You wish." She stood, picking up her cup and heading into the living room. She plopped down on the couch, folding her legs beneath her, and grabbed the remote, flipping through channels until she settled on an old cop show, one where they actually still drove black-and-whites. Before long, Dean joined her, sitting on the other end of the couch, his feet up on the coffee table.

"Whatcha watching?"

"I don't know - some old police thing."

The stars of the show exited the car, and Dean grinned, nodding. "Adam-12. Sweet."

They watched in companionable silence for a while, and Kelsey laid her head back on the couch, yawning, when a commercial came on.  
"Why don't you go back to sleep, Kel? Nothing going on, anyway." He was staring at the graceful column of her throat, itching to touch his lips to the spot he could see gently pulsating. "I should get to work, Bobby wants me to tear down an old Buick he has in the shop for parts. You can have the couch to yourself if you want." He stood, and she smiled up at him.

"Maybe I will." She laid down on her side, grabbing one of the couch pillows for beneath her head, and looked up in surprise as Dean took an old crocheted afghan from the trunk in the corner and tossed it over her. "Thanks, Dean," she said, and he looked almost uncomfortable as he turned to leave.

"Yeah. No problem. See you later." He headed for the door, shaking his head at himself as he put on his boots. He'd already catered his own party earlier that morning, and she had him almost ready to do it again. Not that it was her fault, he just couldn't get that dream out of his mind. The shape of her lips, just begging to be kissed, the way she looked at him so shyly through the dark fringe of lashes, the almost uncontrollable urge he had to reach out and brush the hair back from her face, bury his hands in it... Sam would kill him if he knew the thoughts that were running through Dean's mind about his friend.

He stepped outside, walking determinedly out to the shop, grabbing a tool box from the bench and opening the hood of the old Buick. Dig in and get dirty, focus on that. He stood for a moment, debating whether to get the hoist and take the engine out, or work on it in the body of the car. He decided to start off, at least, with the latter, and threw himself into the job, cranking up Led Zeppelin before starting in.

It was almost two hours later when Sam came out to the shop, looking for him. "Dean!" he shouted against the noise of the music and the sound of Dean hammering away at a stubborn nut that wouldn't come loose. Finally, he walked closer to the car and knocked on the top of the raised hood, yelling Dean's name simultaneously. His big brother looked up in surprise, and Sam reached for the ancient cassette tape player, hitting the off button, then resting back on his crutches. "Can't even hear yourself think out here!" he complained. "I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes!"

Dean walked around to the side of the car and leaned back on it, wiping his hands with a greasy shop rag. "Sometimes not thinking is a good thing. What's up?"

"We've got a case. I'm thought werewolf, but the lunar cycle is wrong. It could be a black dog or skinwalker, though. Not sure, but it definitely sounds like our kind of thing."

"Like you're going. You can't even walk, let alone run." Sam glared back at him. "Do I have time for a shower?"

"Yeah, you have time for a shower. It's not too far, a little over four hours away. Hartford, Iowa." Dean paced himself to walk beside Sam back to the house. "Bobby's going along, since I'm benched."

They walked into the house together, Dean holding the door for Sam as he made his way inside. They moved into the living room, where Kelsey and Bobby stood looking down at a map. She glanced up as they entered the room, then deliberately forced herself to look back down at the desktop, her heart racing. Dean was sweaty, and dirty, grease smears on his face and clothes. His hair was tousled and his damp shirt was clinging to him in a way that was making her blush. And then he was standing next to her, looking down at the map, and Bobby was showing him where they were going, and she was simply trying to remember to breathe. Before he turned to head for the shower, he looked at her, a soft smile on his lips. "You've got some color back - you must have gotten a little sleep."

She smiled and nodded before turning away, offering to make some sandwiches for them to take on the road. Anything to distract her from her body's response to him, from impulses that were hard to resist. When she finished in the kitchen, she walked back into the living room, breathing a sigh of relief at his absence.

Sam and Kelsey sat on Bobby's old sofa, sharing a bowl of popcorn as they watched Raiders of the Lost Ark. Dean and Bobby had taken off in the Impala about an hour earlier, and Kelsey had been pretty quiet. Sam kept waiting for her to speak up, but it didn't look like that was happening, so he took a breath and jumped in.

"So, Kelse...what's going on between you and Dean?"

Her head snapped towards him, her eyes wide, color brightening her cheeks. "Nothing!" He fought to suppress a smile, and she smacked him on the arm. "Sam!"

"Come on, Freckles, it's me."

"Don't call me that." She flung a resentful look his way, then stared down into the popcorn bowl.

"Okay. I won't. But Kelsey, something is going on. You got the hots for my brother?" he teased.

"Shut up, Sam."

The tone of Kelsey's voice wiped the mischievous smile from Sam's face. "Hey." He put a finger beneath her chin and gently forced her to look up at him, and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "Kelsey..." He put his arm around her and pulled her close setting the popcorn on the table. "What's going on? You can tell me. Did he do something? I'll..."

"No, Sam. It's not that. He hasn't done anything."

"So he hasn't, and you want him to? Help me out, here, Kelse."

"No. I mean..." She took a deep breath and laid her head back on Sam's shoulder. "I do think I have feelings for him. But I didn't want to. I didn't mean to. I've been having these dreams, about Dean. And they're so real. I can't get them out of my mind. I think it's affecting me for real, and I don't know what to do about it."

"Dreams?" She nodded against his shoulder, too embarrassed to look at him, and he gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Maybe you just need to talk to him. Maybe your subconscious is pushing you to tell him how you feel."

Kelsey sniffed and pushed herself upright. "Yeah, right. Tell Dean Winchester I have feelings for him. I can almost hear the remarks now."

Sam took a deep breath. "Kelsey, we all know my brother is a horndog." Kelsey rolled her eyes, and Sam continued. "But seriously, Kelse...I've never seen him deliberately hurt a girl. He's got a good heart, believe it or not."

Kelsey threw her head back onto the sofa cushions. "I know. I do. But he scares the crap out of me, Sam. Because I'm afraid if I really let myself, I could be completely done for, you know? I'm scared, Sam. I'm just scared."

Sam gave her a sympathetic little smile and put his arm back up on the back of the couch. "C'mere, let's watch the rest of this movie, okay?" he said, coaxing her back to put her head on his shoulder. He thought about the way Dean had been looking at her the last couple of days, and smiled to himself. Kelsey wasn't the only one trying to fight back feelings. His big brother was doing the same thing.


	3. Chapter 3

Firelight flickering, the fire crackling and popping softly in the otherwise dark room.

Her eyes mesmerized by the flames, her body relaxed, tranquil.

His presence near, a hand sweeping the hair back from her neck, warm lips touching the tender skin. The touch of his tongue, then his teeth nibbling gently, sending goosebumps over her in a wave.

His hands move from her shoulders around to the buttons on her shirt, and it slips down her shoulders as his lips follow its path. Warm, calloused fingers slide beneath her bra strap, pushing it off to the side, then tracing along the lacy edge, caressing the soft, round top of her breast.

He whispers next to her ear, telling her how beautiful she is, sending another chill over her skin. He moans softly and rubs his thumb over her nipple, and she leans back against his chest, suddenly weak.

He tilts her back against his arm, bending to kiss her, his tongue gently tracing over her bottom lip, then thrusting inside as her lips part, her tongue dancing with his, the taste of warm, whiskey-scented breath. His fingers pluck at her nipple, pinching it softly as she whimpers into his mouth and he groans in response. He stops for one moment, unfastening the clasp of her bra and almost reverently removing it, laying her back onto the pile of soft blankets in front of the fire.

His hands play over her breasts as he stares down at her, green eyes darkening with passion. She fights to keep her eyes open, to see his face as he touches her, his lips parted, tongue darting out to wet them before he lowers his mouth to take one sensitive nub into his mouth, his tongue flicking across it, a soft growl in his throat at hearing the mewling noises she is unable to control.

Her jeans loosen as his hands work at the zipper, and he pulls them down to her knees, pushing them gently apart as his hand moves up the inside of her thighs. His mouth moves from one breast to the other, leaving her breathless, and she cries out as he slips a finger beneath her panties, gliding through the wet heat there as she writhes beneath him.

"Dean," she breathes, and a moan comes from deep in her throat as he guides two fingers slowly inside, her back arching in pleasure as he raises his head to watch her. Her lip is caught between her teeth, her head thrown back, and he feels her tremble. A swirl of his thumb, a gentle pressure and he bends to suck hard on a nipple, sending her careening over the edge, thrusting against him as she shudders her release...

* * *

Kelsey woke, her body trembling, struggling to remember where she was, her body throwing aftershocks through her. She laid there fighting to regain her sense of reality, her breathing slowing, her heart rate calming.

She laid there for several minutes, fighting down feelings that were beginning to border on fear. These dreams, they were so damn real. Not that it had been a bad way to wake up...but she had never dreamed that vividly in her life. Was Dean really getting to her that much? She rubbed a hand over her eyes, just imagining what he would say if he knew.

She got out of bed, heading for the shower, surprised to find her body weak, her legs a little shaky. By the time she finished getting dressed, she found it necessary to sit on the edge of the bed for a bit, exhausted. Okay, these dreams were messing with her sleep. Sleeping pills. She needed to get some sleeping pills. Knock herself out so she could get some real rest.

She finally made her way downstairs, walking softly through the room to avoid waking Sam, who was still asleep on the couch. She smiled and went to the kitchen to start coffee, then slipping her shoes on to walk out to the mailbox at the end of the drive and get the paper. She filled a mug, sitting down at the table, her body trembling again with weakness, and she frowned to herself, determining to go into town for sleep aids later in the day.

Sam came into the room a little later, crutches abandoned as he limped gingerly to the coffee pot. He joined her at the table, and she smiled at his hair, which he smoothed down after setting down the steaming mug he was carrying. "Morning, Shaggy," she teased, and he gave her a lopsided smile.

"Hey, Kelse." His smile faded slowly as he looked at her. "Are you okay? You didn't sleep well again, did you?"

"I don't know, Sam. It's like I'm sleeping, but I'm not getting any rest, you know?" She looked up into his concerned eyes. "I'm going into town today if you want to come, I'm going to try taking a sleeping pill before I go to bed, see if it helps."

"Sure, no problem. We'll run in later, we need some supplies, anyway."

They drank their coffee in mostly friendly silence, sharing the paper and enjoying each other's quiet company. When Sam stood to get a refill, he stopped beside her chair, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Kelse, why don't you go in and lay down on the couch for a while. I'll make some breakfast. Okay?" She looked up at him, and smiled, looking so exhausted that his heart went out to her.

"Okay, Sam. Maybe I will." He bent to kiss the top of her head before moving away, and she trudged into the living room, collapsing with a sigh onto Bobby's comfy, well-worn sofa, pulling the blanket around her and curling up, falling asleep almost immediately. When Sam went in a little later to tell her breakfast was ready, he didn't have the heart to wake her, and turned back to go eat alone.

* * *

It was two days later that Sam woke to the sound of the Impala pulling into the salvage yard. He grabbed his phone, checking the time - it was just after midnight. He sat up as Bobby and Dean came in, dropping their bags inside the door. Dean grabbed a beer from the fridge before coming in to drop down beside his brother on the couch. "Hey, Sammy. How's the leg?"

"Fine. Wish I could get this thing off," Sam complained, tapping at the cast. "I hate being sidelined."

"I know. But we took care of it, right, Bobby?"

Bobby yawned. "Right. But I'm turning in. I'll talk to you idjits tomorrow." He turned and headed for his bedroom, and the door closed quietly.

"So? What was it?"

Dean took a swig of his beer, then set the bottle on the table and began untying his boots. "Skinwalker. Took us a couple of days to track him down. Luckily, nobody else was hurt."

Sam nodded. "Hey, Dean. I wanted to talk to you about Kelsey."

Dean turned to look at his brother. "Why? What's up?"

"Should have talked to Bobby, but he was pretty wiped. She's sick, Dean. She needs to see a doctor, but so far, she won't listen to me. I think we need to talk to Bobby, have him put his foot down."

Dean's brow was furrowed in a worried frown. "What's wrong with her, Sammy?"

"I don't know, but she's really out of it. And pale. And weak, shaky, you know? I tried to get her to make an appointment, but she won't."

Dean drained his beer, and stood to take the empty bottle to the trash. "She's going, whether she likes it or not. I'm gonna hit the sack for a while and we'll take care of it tomorrow when she gets up."

Sam nodded in agreement. "Okay. Goodnight, Dean."

"G'night, Sammy." Dean went silently up the stairs in his stocking feet, stopping outside Kelsey's door. All was quiet, and he hesitated with his hand on the doorknob for a moment before turning away and heading to his room.

A loud thudding noise, followed by a crash, sat Dean straight up in his bed, his gun already in his hand. Eyes wide, he headed into the hall, the gun held out in front of him as he scanned for trouble, noting that Kelsey's door was open. He moved quickly that direction, but not seeing her in the room, he continued down the hall, then lowered the gun and ran at the sound of Sam's shout.

"Dean! Get down here!"

He looked down the stairs to see Sam standing helplessly by, unable to get down on the floor beside Kelsey, who was face down on the floor, the remains of a bookcase that normally sat to the north of the foot of the stairs scattered on top of and around her. Dean was down the stairs in a flash, laying his gun on the bottom step as he knelt next to her, pulling the broken shelves, books and papers off of her. "Bobby!" he called, but Bobby was already next to him, helping him clear the debris. "Sam, what happened?"

"I don't know, I woke up when she fell, Dean."

Dean was cursing quietly under his breath as he and Bobby quickly cleared the area and he felt for a pulse. His eyes closed for a second as he heaved a sigh of relief, and with a look at Bobby, they turned her to her back as gently as they could manage. There was blood oozing from a cut on her forehead, and she was still unconscious, but they could see no other damage. Bobby spoke, his voice tight with tension. "Dean, help me get her to the car. We're taking her to the hospital."

"Let me put on some jeans, Bobby," he said, running up the stairs two at a time, throwing on the first thing he could find, then tearing back down to put on his boots. By the time he was dressed, Bobby was coming out of his bedroom, fully clothed and ready to go. "Sammy..."

"Just go, Dean. You can come get me later, we don't have time."

He met Sam's eyes, nodding, and lifted Kelsey into his arms. Bobby opened the back door of the Impala and Dean laid her inside, then climbed behind the wheel, and the tires spun, spitting gravel all the way out of the driveway.

Dean rushed through the large, automatic double doors to the ER, Kelsey limp in his arms, and stared wide-eyed at the nurse who came quickly to his side. "She fell down the stairs," he said, and she motioned him to follow her down the hall into the nearest exam room.

"You'll have to wait outside," she said, her voice kind but firm, as a doctor hurried in through the door. Then she busied herself putting a blood pressure cuff on Kelsey's arm, and grabbing a small rolling table with an IV kit as she prepped her arm for the needle. Dean backed out of the door reluctantly, his eyes still on Kelsey's face, stepping back a little more quickly as another nurse came on a run down the hall to enter the room. The door closed with a quiet whoosh, and Dean turned back towards Bobby, who was busy filling out paperwork at the nurse's station.

Dean paced the floor while Bobby leafed absently through a newspaper on the couch in the waiting room. They had been waiting for over an hour, and still no news from the doctor. Dean was on the verge of exploding, and Bobby watched him, ready to diffuse him if necessary. He finally reached his limit, turning as he said, "Bobby...," but was interrupted by the doctor's entrance into the room. They both watched as he smiled at the two of them before speaking, and Dean held his breath, waiting for the news.

"Well, she took quite a tumble," he said, "and she's got a concussion, a couple of broken ribs, and we had to stitch her forehead. We're sending her down for a CAT scan shortly, just to make sure there are no skull fractures. She's severely anemic, which probably caused her to pass out and fall in the first place. Any illnesses that you know of, say, in the past twelve months?"

Bobby was shaking his head. "Not that I know of, Doc. She just came to visit a couple of weeks ago, and as far as I know, she was perfectly healthy. Is she awake?"

The doctor nodded. "She is awake, but the concussion has her a little confused. We've given her a transfusion, and once we get the scan done, we'll be moving her to a room. Then you can see her if you like."

Bobby stood, shaking the doctor's hand. "Thanks, Doc."

"We'll let you know when she's in her room." He turned and left, leaving Dean and Bobby to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank God," Bobby said softly. "I'm going after Sam. He's probably going crazy out there. You stay here and wait for word, okay?" Dean nodded in agreement, and settled back onto the couch, his mind a little more at ease, reaching for the TV remote as Bobby left the room.

Within half an hour, a nurse came in to get Dean and lead him to Kelsey's room. She smiled as she left him at the door, and he stood there for a moment, watching her lying there, her eyes closed, still very pale. He walked in quietly, not wanting to wake her if she was asleep, but her eyes opened as he drew near the bed. "Hey." He reached for her hand, and she smiled weakly up at him.

"Hey. What happened?"

"You kind of passed out and fell down the stairs. Broke the bookcase at the bottom. Bobby's pissed."

She laughed weakly, then her smiled faded and she groaned softly. "Don't make me laugh. My head..."

"Sorry. It hurts?"

"Yeah. And my ribs... They gave me morphine."

He pulled the chair up near the bed, still holding on to her hand. "Oh, yeah. The good drugs. Lucky you." She smiled weakly in answer, and he reached for her chart from the small rolling table nearby. "Let's see. Needs to have her head examined. Check. They did that. Oh, identifying marks, cool. Tattoos..." He looked at her, one eyebrow cocked, and she smiled back at him.

"Dean..."

"Nope. I carried you into the hospital, that gives me certain rights and privileges. Let's see. Small pentagram tattoo on right lower abdomen." He looked at her, an exaggerated frown on his face. "So, devil worship." She giggled, then moaned softly again. "Hmmmm... triquetra tattoo on back left shoulder." He looked up again, his eyes warm. "Sexy. Very sexy. And last, dark blue design at base of skull." When Dean looked up, Kelsey had a small frown on her face.

"I don't have a tattoo there. Just the anti-possession and Celtic knot. Those are the only tattoos I have."

Dean's brows drew together as he read the chart again. "It says it right here."

"They made a mistake. I don't have one there. I know I hit my head, but I think I'd remember a tattoo." Kelsey's voice was weak, but she sounded adamant.

"Okay. Let me look. Maybe you hit your head harder than you think."

"No, Dean. But if it'll make you feel better..." She rolled carefully to her good side, and Dean stood close, gently brushing her hair up and off her neck. There, at the base of her skull, was a tiny, intricate circular design, royal blue in color. He stared at it in silence for a second before lowering her hair and helping her turn to her back once again.

"Kel...I hate to tell you, but it's there." Her eyes widened, and he put a hand on her arm to quiet her. "It's okay. You've got a concussion. I'm sure it'll come back to you. Just don't worry about it."

The nurse came in just then, and Dean was asked to leave the room for a few moments while they checked Kelsey's vitals. He gave her hand a squeeze and smiled down at her before he left, walking out of the room. He walked slowly to the waiting room not far down the hall, uneasiness in the pit of his stomach. For some reason, that little blue mark was giving him a very bad feeling.


	4. Chapter 4

Peaceful silence.

Bobby's old mantle clock ticks softly, the only sound in the room.

The warm, soft, comfortable old couch cradles his aching body.

Her presence stirs the air nearby, and her lavender and jasmine scent makes him smile. Her hand, soft and warm, runs over his shoulder, to his neck, and the other hand joins it. She gently kneads the tired, sore muscles in his neck and shoulders, leaning down to place a kiss at the base of his neck. He tries to speak, but she hushes him, and he's too relaxed, luxuriating in her soothing touch, to argue. He sighs as she moves a little farther down, onto his back, massaging and easing the tension there. He feels her body pressing against his side as she works, and it's hard not to turn and pull her into his arms.

She moves to his lower back, and the sensations are causing him to moan softly as she works on the tight muscles there. He flinches a little, a pained sound escaping his lips, as she presses too hard in an area sporting a fresh bruise from the hunt. She whispers an apology, then bends towards him, her hair tickling at his skin, and kisses the hurt, and another sound comes from deeper within...

"Dean! Dean, get up! Dean! Wake up, now!"

Dean's heart pounded as Bobby's voice jarred him awake, and he flipped himself over, sitting up.

"Get up, Dean! Turn around!"

"What?" Dean did as he was asked, confused, and then felt Bobby's hands on his back.

"Damn it!" Bobby growled.

"Bobby! What?" Dean said, his eyes wide, turning to grab the older man's arm. "What's wrong?"

Bobby was rubbing the back of his neck, shaking his head. "Son, there is something going on around here. Something not good." He dropped down onto the couch, and Dean followed suit, still staring at his mentor. Bobby took a breath to collect his thoughts and continued. "That blue mark that's on Kelsey's neck? The one she said she doesn't have?"

"Yeah?"

"You've got one, too, on your back."

"What?" Dean twisted his neck, trying to see.

"You can't see it, ya idjit. It's in the middle of your back. I came out here for a glass of water and some aspirin, and you were making all kinds of noises, and when I looked over here... Dean, that thing was glowing. It was slowly fading, and before I had you awake it stopped."

"What the hell, Bobby?" Dean stood up and rushed barefoot to the bathroom, flipping the switch and blinking in the sudden bright light. "Bobby, have you got another mirror? A hand mirror?" Bobby dug through a drawer and located a small rectangular mirror, and Dean moved until he could get a reflection of his back, searching until he focused on the right spot. About a third of the way up his back, over his spine, was an intricate circular design, just like the one on Kelsey's neck.

"Son of a bitch," Dean said quietly, then dropped the mirror to the countertop and left the room. When Bobby followed, he was already half dressed, and Bobby gripped his arm to stop him for a moment.

"Dean, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to the hospital. If that thing is doing something to me, then it's doing the same thing to Kelsey. I have to watch her, make sure it doesn't start to... glow or whatever."

"Sam is there, Dean."

"Whatever this is, it's affecting both of us. I think maybe we need to stay together until we figure this out. So until she comes back here, I'm going." Bobby nodded, dropping his hand, and Dean continued getting dressed.

Dean walked into the room, directly over to Sam, who was frowning up at him in confusion. Kelsey was sleeping peacefully, so Dean grabbed his arm to pull him towards the door. "Dean? What are you doing here? I thought you were gonna get some sleep," Sam said in a harsh whisper as Dean dragged him into the hall.

"I was. I did. Whatever, this is more important, Sam!"

"Okay, okay. What's going on?" Dean's eyes, the tight way he held his mouth, told him there was something seriously wrong, so he shifted down from annoyance to concern.

"Look at this." Dean turned his back and lifted his jacket and shirt halfway up his back. Sam's brows drew together and he bent closer to look at the mark on his brother's back.

"I didn't know you got a tat."

Dean let out an impatient sigh. "It's not a tat, Sammy. It's a mark just like the one on the back of Kelsey's neck."

"What the hell?"

"I don't know. But Bobby said it was glowing. Something is getting to us through these marks, and I need to stay with her, make sure hers doesn't start glowing, too." Dean headed into the room, but Sam's words stopped him in his tracks.

"So are you dreaming, too?"

Dean's head snapped around, and he turned back from the doorway. "Why?"

"Because Kelsey told me she's been having really vivid dreams. Vivid enough that she felt like she wasn't getting any rest. A couple of days ago we went into town and she bought some sleeping pills, just to try and get some sleep. But they weren't working. So, are you dreaming?"

Dean ran a hand over his mouth and chin, and sighed heavily. "Yeah."

"So, whatever this is, it's making you dream. Dreams that are keeping you from really resting, and making it hard for you to wake up, according to what she said."

"Did she say... Did she tell you what she's dreaming about?" Dean asked, turned back towards the room.

"No. Why? What are you dreaming about, Dean?" Sam couldn't keep a teasing tone from his voice, because the way his brother was acting, he already knew the answer.

"That's none of your damn business," he growled, then walked back into the room, leaving Sam smiling behind him.

The smile faded quickly as he grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Bobby. "Bobby? What the hell is going on? What are these marks?"

"I'm workin' on it, Sam. Need me to come and pick you up? Dean's not leavin', I can tell you that. He feels like they need to stay together, so he won't be going anywhere until Kelsey does."

"Yeah, I got that. Come and get me when you have time, I'll help you look. We need to figure out what those things are and how they're affecting these two, other than dreaming."

"Dreaming?"

"Yeah. They've both been dreaming. Kelsey said they're very vivid, she has a hard time pulling herself out of them and waking up. Dean didn't feel like sharing much, but he's dreaming, too."

"Hmmm. Interesting." Bobby was silent for a moment, and Sam could hear pages being turned.

"Bobby?"

"Yeah, Sam, I'll be in to get you shortly." The phone went dead, and Sam stared at it for a second, then shook his head and shoved it back into his pocket.

When he walked back into the room, he found Dean sitting next to Kelsey's bed, talking quietly to her. "Hey, you're awake. How are you feeling?" Sam asked, and Kelsey smiled weakly.

"I'm okay. At least I've gotten some sleep. But my ribs..."

"Yeah. That takes a few weeks. Believe me," Dean said, giving her a sympathetic little smile.

"Great." Kelsey stared down at her hands, which were clasped together in her lap. She looked up at Sam, then at Dean, her eyes filling with tears, which she blinked back into submission. "What's happening to me?"

"Whatever it is, Kelse...it's happening to Dean, too." Her eyes widened a little as she stared into Dean's face. "He's got a mark on his back, identical to the one on your neck."

"You? You're having the...the dreams, too? Are they really..."

"Intense? Yeah. Like you can't wake up. Just like yours."

"Just like..." Kelsey stared into Dean's eyes, and he nodded slowly, biting at his lip, then dropped his gaze.

Kelsey was staring at her hands again, and Sam cleared his throat quietly, suddenly uncomfortable. "Uh, guys...Bobby's on his way to pick me up. I'm gonna go back to the house, help with some research. I'm - uh - gonna wait out front. I'll call you if we find anything."

Kelsey waited until Sam had been gone for a moment before hesitantly looking up at Dean. "So...are you..."

"Dreaming about you? Yeah." Kelsey's face grew warm, and she looked down again. "And you're dreaming about me, aren't you?" She nodded, then laid back against her pillow, turning her face away. "Kel, it's no big deal. Whatever's going on, whatever put these marks on us, that's making it more..."

"I'm glad it's not a big deal to you, Dean."

Dean rubbed the back of his neck, wishing he could pull the words back in. "Not what I meant, Kel."

Kelsey sighed softly, then turned slowly to her side facing him, grimacing with pain. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just... It's so humiliating. When you woke me the other night, and I started kissing you..."

A barely there smirk curved Dean's lips, and he gave her a heavy-lidded look that zinged right up her spine. "I didn't mind. Any time you need a wake-up call, you just let me know."

"Stop it."

Dean's face sobered, and he reached up to take hold of her hand. "I'm sorry. I know you're scared. But we'll figure it out. We always do. Sam and Bobby are on the job, and I'm staying with you until we fix it. Okay?" He gently brushed the hair from her eyes, and the fear there went straight to his heart. "Get some sleep, Kel. I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Late the next afternoon, Sam's head raised from the book it was buried in, the sound of the Impala's engine catching his attention. He headed to the kitchen and stood in the doorway, waiting as Dean helped Kelsey out of the passenger-side seat. He walked beside her, arm around her waist, and Sam held open the door as they reached the house.

"Dean, are you sure she's ready to be home? What about the concussion? Did they..."

"Sammy, they did another CAT scan this morning, and everything checked out. The nurse re-taped her ribs. She wanted to come home."

"I'm okay, Sam," Kelsey said quietly. "Stop worrying."

Bobby came out from around his desk to give her a gentle hug as she entered the room. "Girl, I'm glad you didn't break your neck falling down those stairs. You scared the hell out of me."

Kelsey stood in Bobby's arms for a moment before he helped her to the couch, and she sat down with a relieved sigh, wincing a little at a twinge of pain. Dean left the room, coming back in short order with a beer in one hand and a bottle of water for Kelsey in the other. He perched on the edge of the couch beside her, popping the lid off the beer with his ring, and taking a pull from the longneck. "Well, you guys find anything?"

Bobby plopped down in his desk chair and picked up his whiskey. "We think it's a djinn."

Dean looked back at him skeptically. "Djinn kidnap their victims, send them to their happy place and use them as a living blood bank. How does this fit?"

"Son, there are different breeds of monsters, just like there are different breeds of dogs. There's a djinn I read about that causes nightmares instead of happy dreams, because they like the bitter flavor the stress hormones give the blood. I think we've got a more refined version here, likes the flavor of dopamine or endorphins or whatever the hell gets pumped into your system when..." Kelsey's cheeks colored, and she hung her head down, closing her eyes.

"I think we got the point, Bobby," Sam said softly, and Bobby nodded in answer.

"What about the glowing marks?" Dean asked. "Are they getting to us through them somehow?"

"I think so. I think they can activate their hypnotic power through them, and once they get you unconscious and dreaming, they probably plug in through that mark to access your blood. Only guessing, of course, this is all new to me."

"They must be fast. Because when we wake up, there's no trace. Teleporting?"

Sam spoke up. "We think so, or something like it. When one of you wakes up, they just disappear, or at least disguise themselves until they can, we don't know. What we do know is that we have to catch it in the act and kill it, I assume with the usual silver knife dipped in lambs blood."

"How did we get the marks in the first place?" Kelsey asked, and Sam shook his head.

"We don't know. If this djinn can blend in with humans, it could have happened anywhere. Who would have touched the back of your neck, Kelse?"

She frowned, puzzled, laying her head back on the couch. "No one. Wait." She sat up straight, and her eyes met Bobby's. "I got my hair trimmed last week. That new little shop next to the post office."

Bobby's eyes landed on Dean next. "Well? Did you go in there?"

"What's she look like?" Dean refused to look at Bobby, and the older man rolled his eyes.

"Dean, what did you do?"

Kelsey glared up at him. "She's a cute, petite little blonde. Of course you just happened to run into her, didn't you?"

"I didn't do anything. I stopped in for a couple of beers, and she was in there. I went back to the bathroom, and when I came out, she was standing right outside the door. She grabbed me and kissed me, totally not my fault."

"Did she have her hands on your skin?" Bobby asked angrily.

Dean looked at the floor. "It's possible that we had our hands under each others' shirts for a short time before someone came walking back there and interrupted us."

Sam cursed quietly, and Bobby shook his head. "You idjit."

"Hey, I didn't start it."

"Well, you sure didn't walk away from it, either. You're gonna get yourself killed someday, by a monster or a crazy. What are you thinkin', boy?"

Dean's jaw worked for a moment before he lifted his beer to his lips and drained it, then shoved himself off the couch and stalked into the kitchen. The empty bottle crashed loudly into the trash, and they heard him grab another beer from the fridge before going outside, the door swinging closed with a bang behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

A deep breath, then a slow exhale as she feels herself surrender to sleep.

Arms and legs feel pleasantly heavy, utter tranquility washes over her.

The bed dips, and she smiles sleepily as he curls up behind her. His lips nibble at her ear, then her neck, and he sucks gently on the sensitive skin there, his tongue touching her and sending a shiver up her spine...

"Kel! Wake up!" Kelsey's eyes flew open, and she cried out as she tried to sit up, the pain in her ribs stopping her dead in her tracks.

"What are you doing here?" she managed to ask, one arm wrapped around her midsection as she fought for control over her pain.

"I told you at the hospital. We need to stay together until we figure this out. You were sleeping, and I was keeping an eye on you. That mark started to glow, so I woke you up."

"You're just laying there, watching to see if I start to glow? That's not creepy at all." Dean didn't answer, and she rolled slowly to her back, turning her head to look at him, her real emotions showing clearly in her eyes. "What am I supposed to do, Dean? Never go to sleep again?"

"I'm sorry, babe." He reached a hand to touch her, then leaned in to brush his lips across hers.

"Babe?"

"Just go with it," he whispered, his green eyes warm as he kissed her again...

"Kelsey! Damn it! You have to stay awake! Come on, we're going downstairs and make some coffee." Dean slipped a hand behind her back to help her into a sitting position, and kept an arm around her waist for support as she stood shakily.

"I'm so tired, Dean."

"I know. But we have to come up with a plan to get this thing, or it's gonna kill you, Kel. I'm sorry. I thought if I stayed with you... But it's not working."

They made their way down the stairs, and Sam stirred as they walked through the room, sitting up on the couch. "What's going on?"

"Making some coffee. We have to keep her awake until we figure out what to do. Get Bobby, would you, Sammy?"

Dean pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and Kelsey sat there while he started a pot of coffee. By the time he pulled out the chair next to her, Bobby and Sam were coming into the room.

"What do you need us to do, boy?" Bobby asked, stopping to lay a hand on Kelsey's shoulder.

"I don't know, Bobby. I thought if I was there, this thing would back off. But every time Kelsey goes to sleep, that mark starts to glow." He looked up at Bobby, worry furrowing his brow. "What time is it?"

"Almost midnight," Sam answered, leaning on the counter. "Why?"

Dean turned to look at his brother. "I wonder if I should go into town, hit Stumpy's, see if she's in there. I can prep the knife here, take it with me."

"Not by yourself, you're not." Sam straightened, shaking his head. "You've got the mark, Dean. She can probably shut you down any time she wants."

Dean stared back at his brother, then nodded slowly. "Okay. Bobby, you got any better ideas?"

Bobby had moved to the cupboard, taking down cups and pouring for himself and Kelsey. "No, I don't. Better get going."

Sam was dressed and they were on the road in short order, leaving Bobby to take care of Kelsey. Dean focused grimly on the road, not saying a word, and Sam finally broke the silence. "Dean. We're gonna get this thing."

"Damn right we are."

"She'll be okay."

Dean's jaw worked, his eyes never leaving the road. "Yeah."

"Maybe when this is over, you can tell her how you feel."

"Sam!" Dean shouted, his grip on the steering wheel tightening to the point of snapping it in two. Sam smiled, looking out the window, keeping his mouth shut for the rest of the drive into town.

They pulled into a parking spot in front of the bar, and Dean took a deep breath. "Sam, I'm going in the front. She's only seen me, she might not realize I have backup. Maybe you should come around from the back. Can you manage, with your leg?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Give me a minute before you go in." Sam got out of the car, walking to the side of the building. Dean watched until he was gone from sight, then climbed out of the Impala, heading for the front door.

She was there, seated at the bar, a shot glass in her hand. A smile curved her lips as she turned to look at him, her eyes a vivid blue. "Hello, lover," she purred. "Enjoying your dreams?"

"Ain't you I'm dreaming about. We need to talk." He headed for the back hall where they'd had their first encounter, not even looking her direction.

The djinn downed the shot she was holding, then grinned at the bartender as he approached. "Hit me again. I'll be right back after I take care of him." She winked, and the bartender smirked, nodding, as she rose from the bar stool and headed to the back of the bar, a confident swing in her hips.

Dean was waiting in the hallway, knife drawn. She smiled, tilting her head, looking sympathetically at him. He spoke, his voice a threatening growl. "Let her go."

"Oh, Dean. Why would I do that? The heat you two generate? The arousal makes your blood so sweet. I just can't get enough. And we could do this for...well, forever. I can drink one of you, then the other, until the first one recovers. It's the perfect situation for me. And don't tell me you don't get off on those dreams, lover. I know you do. I can taste it."

"You're a parasite. A monster. And I have to kill you."

"Oh, I know. Big, strong hunter like you, that's your job. But I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Dean." She took a step towards him, her eyes beginning to glow, and Dean slumped against the wall, the knife falling from his hand and clattering on the floor. "That's better. Just let all that nasty anger go, it makes everything so bitter. Think about...what's her name? Kelsey. Think about Kelsey, all the delicious things you want to do to her body. That's my good boy." She had a hand on his face now, and it lent a bright blue glow to the dimly lit hallway where they stood. She removed her hand and extended her index finger, which bore a circular mark, pulsating with an intense blue light. She reached around Dean, slipping her hand beneath his shirt, and he groaned softly as she connected with the mark on his back.

She closed her eyes, an almost lecherous smile on her face. "So sweet, Dean. You taste so sweet."

"Get away from my brother." Sam stood behind her, a knife in his hand, his voice soft and deadly.

The djinn's eyes opened, the glow leaving them as she turned away from Dean, fury on her face. In a flash, she was behind Sam, and he whirled to face her, confused. Her eyes began to glow once again as she touched his face, and the djinn turned to press him up against the wall. "You hunters think you're so superior. The Djinn have been here since the dawn of time. What makes you think you have any right to decimate my race?" Sam was slumping against the wall, his eyes beginning to roll back as the poison entered his system through her touch. "I will kill you and your brother. Then I will bleed the girl dry, and move on to another place. I will be killing humans long after your bones are dust."

She bared her teeth in a snarl, and Sam saw it through a haze, barely conscious. Then, suddenly, she stopped touching him, and fell to her knees at his feet. Dean stood, slightly weaving, behind her, blood on his hand from shoving the silver knife deep into her back. "No, you won't." Dean dropped unsteadily to one knee behind the djinn, twisting the knife, and the light in her eyes faded as she fell.

"You can't... how did you wake..." she whispered as she lay there dying.

"My brother's stubborn," Sam said weakly, letting his good leg give way as he slid down to sit against the wall.

Dean gave a little shrug as he did the same, sitting against the opposite wall. "And a badass," he said, his voice faint. He and Sam exchanged a sad excuse for a smile as the djinn breathed her last.

It took a few minutes for them to recover enough strength to haul the body out the back door to the trunk of the Impala. Dean went back in, cleaning the small amount of blood from the floor in the hallway, then headed out into the bar. The bartender looked at him curiously, glancing towards the back. "She had to leave. In fact, she had to leave town. But she wanted me to pay for her drink." Dean pulled a twenty from his pocket and tossed it onto the bar, then headed for the door.

The drive back to Bobby's was silent, each lost in his own thoughts. They pulled into the yard, and Dean killed the engine, pulling the keys from the ignition and glancing over at Sam. "You okay, Sammy?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. Let's go check this out, make sure the marks are gone. Then I guess we've got a body to bury." Sam sighed and nodded again, and they got out of the car, heading for the house.

Dean held the door for Sam, then walked into the kitchen and straight over to where Kelsey sat, in a daze from her lack of sleep. "We got her, Kel. She's dead."

Kelsey looked up at him, her eyes swimming with tears. "Thank you," she whispered, and he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"Let's make sure that mark is gone," he said softly, then swept her hair off her neck, bending to look closely. There was no sign of the blue mark left on her neck, and Dean breathed a sigh of relief. "Completely gone." A couple of her tears spilled over as she made a sad attempt at a smile. "Come here," he whispered, drawing her to her feet with his hands on her shoulders, then pulling her into his arms. "It's over, Kelsey." A soft sob escaped as she clung to him for a moment, letting go when he released her to Sam. "Bobby, you'd better check me, too."

Dean's mark had also disappeared, and Bobby smiled up at him. "Good job, boys."

"Well, I've got a body to bury. Sam, you stay with her. It's been a rough couple of days."

Sam nodded, his arm around Kelsey's shoulders as he led her towards the living room. Bobby stood, stretching, and stopped Dean at the door. "Son, wait. I've got a pile of wood behind the shop. Let's burn that bitch."

"Works for me, Bobby. I'm too tired to dig, anyway."

A couple of months later...

So sleepy.

The sun is so warm on her skin, the breeze gently wafting around her.

His arms surrounding her, a safe haven.

She turns her head, her eyes opening slowly, almost fighting to remain closed. His face is a blur at first, coming into focus as her eyes finally obey her thoughts and open. His eyes are still closed, his long lashes against his skin, his lips slightly parted as he breathes softly.

She feels a surge in her pulse as she looks at him, so beautiful, so perfect, so peaceful. She is almost breathless as her eyes scan over the planes of his face, freckles still visible beneath the golden tan; the jaw line, unshaven, the cleft in his chin almost hidden by the soft growth. The small bump in his nose, almost unnoticeable, a flaw making the perfection seem even more unreal.

He begins to move, his eyebrows draw together in a small frown as he struggles, like her, to wake. The moss green eyes open, the full lips curve slightly as he sees her, and she feels everything inside her go molten and electric as he reaches a hand to her face and moves in closer to touch his lips to hers.

The kiss is soft, sensuous, the whole world is in it. There is nothing else in the here and now but that. His mouth slants across hers, their lips parting and their tongues gliding against each other, tangling sweetly, and her whole being is centered in this moment, in the feel of his lips and the taste of him, the soft sound of the whispered moan that escapes as he kisses her.

His hand moves, down her back, across her hip, fingers slipping beneath the soft fabric of her shirt, and there is warmth against her skin as his touch brushes over her ribs and he cups her breast. This time the moan is from her, deep in her throat, as he gently kneads the firm flesh, and she presses closer to him as their kiss becomes more frantic, and her arms tighten around his neck.

She pulls back suddenly, her eyes wide. "I dreamed this. It was exactly like this, Dean. But then you woke me up, the day we went to pick up Sam." Her eyes took in the huge oak above them, the remains of their picnic pushed off to the side where they had moved it to make room to stretch out. They had both been full and drowsy, dozing off in each other's arms.

He bends to nibble softly at her bottom lip. "Well, let's see how your dream should have ended."

His lips move along her jaw line, then down her neck to the hollow of her throat as her fingers run through the soft hair at the nape of his neck, her breathing becoming more labored. Buttons are freed, and she shivers as he looks down at her, his eyes roaming over her face, then down to take in her lace-covered breasts. He trails a finger over a nipple, his tongue playing over his bottom lip as she gasps at the contact.

He unfastens the front clasp of her bra, uncovering her and staring down at the play of sunlight and shadow over her skin. He aches for her, but he takes his time, bending to touch his lips to her breast, kissing and licking and teasing everywhere but where she longs for it, making her whisper his name before he gives in.

She arches up against the warmth of his mouth, one hand clutching at the blanket she lies on, one hand grasping at his hair as she sighs beneath him. He unfastens her jeans and she barely notices until he pulls them down over her hips, cupping his hand over her most intimate area as he moans softly, raising his head to look down at her. "You want me as much as I want you, don't you, baby?" he whispers, and the longing in her voice as she answers 'yes' makes him throb against his restricting clothing. He trails his fingers over the damp fabric and reaches to pull her panties down, sliding them down her legs and tossing them to the side with her jeans.

He undresses quickly, staring down at her as she watches him, her eyes heavy with passion, and he lowers himself over her carefully, holding himself above her as he looks into her eyes. "Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you," he says softly, holding himself back with some difficulty.

"I'm fine, Dean. I'm healed. Now come here before I..." Before she can finish her sentence, his lips crush down on hers as he enters her with one smooth thrust, then stills. She holds her breath at the sudden penetration, then slowly relaxes as she adjusts to his girth. When she moves, he groans from deep inside.

He keeps himself reined in, moving slowly, pulling almost completely out, then back in till their bodies are flush, until Kelsey whimpers, thrusting up against him as she explodes. Dean raises his head to watch her as he feels her body spasm around him, then bends to take her nipple into his mouth, sucking hard on it as she writhes beneath him. He meets her eyes as they open slowly, bending to kiss her softly, gently, starting to move once again.

Her fingers dig into his back, the muscles there working as he thrusts into her, their skin dewy with sweat, her legs wrapped around him tight as he gathers speed. He drives into her harder, and harder, and she cries out as she begins to reach another peak of pleasure, just as he throws back his head. "Oh, god..." he growls, and she is done, almost seeing stars as she comes violently, and he is close behind her, throbbing inside her as she pulsates around him.

He collapses, completely spent, his body weak for the moment, and she cradles him in her arms, her hands caressing his back. Aftershocks flow through them both, sending a shudder through Kelsey, eliciting a loud moan from Dean. "Damn, baby," he whispers, and she reaches a hand up, running her fingers through the hair on the back of his head, kissing his shoulder, tasting the salt of his skin.

He rolls to his side, pulling her with him, unwilling to part from her yet, holding her close as he leans in to kiss her, savoring her lips, the softness and the sweetness that is hers. He brings a hand to her face, his fingers in her hair, the look in his eyes stealing her breath away. "I know I haven't been what you were looking for in the past. But I've changed. I want to be with you, Kel. I think we can maybe have some happiness in our screwed-up lives if we have each other, you know?"

Her eyes sparkle with tears as she smiles softly. "You're an idiot, Dean Winchester. I've just been waiting for you to see me, that's all. I've been in love with you since we were kids. I just never thought you would feel that way about me. I love you, Dean."

He brushes a thumb across her cheek as she nuzzles her face into his touch. "I love you, Kel. And I always saw you. I just didn't think you wanted anything to do with a jerk like me."

She snuggles up to him, touching her lips to his chest. "You're not a jerk. You're a good man." She holds him close, silent for a moment before she speaks again. "Now I suppose we should get dressed before Bobby and Sam decide to come out here looking for us."

"Let 'em find their own picnic spot," he said, kissing her again, and she giggled a little as she felt him growing hard again inside her, his strong arms holding her tight as she closed her eyes and let herself be swept away again.


End file.
